Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor) will receive the prestigious award of the 51st Round to the Algarve at bicycle, the Portuguese race organization, which runs between Wednesday and Sunday.
In debut at ‘Algarvia’, 32 -year -old, was chosen by the organization, which he considers that the presence of the two -time background champion (2020 and 2021) “honoring competition”.
Currently at Tudor, after 11 seasons in the structure of Soudal Quick-Step, Alaphilippe has 44 wins in the curriculum, including six stages in the return to France, proof that led for 14 days in 2019, three Flèche Wallonne (2018, 2019 and 2021), Milan-Sanremo and Strade Bianche in 2019, and a stage in the last lap to Italy.
One of the most charismatic and popular cyclists in the platoon, Alaphilippe will receive the prize on Thursday, before the start of the second stage, which will turn on Lagoa to Alto da Fóia, totaling 177.6 kilometers.
The prestigious prize was first awarded in 2016, with the organization deciding to share the award between Swiss Fabian Cancellara, Spaniard Alberto Accountant and Belgian Tom Boonen.
The following year, the choice fell on German Tony Martin and, in 2018, the recipient was Belgian Philippe Gilbert.
The Italian Vincenzo Nibali was distinguished in 2020, after the prize was not awarded in 2019, and in 2021 was Sérgio Paulinho, Olympic background champion in Athens2004, deserving the recognition of the organization.
In 2022, the sports director of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert, Belgian Hilaire Van der Schueren, was the first non-cyclist to receive the prestigious award, a tradition that resumed the following year, with the choice to fall on the Norwegian Sprinter Alexander Kristoff .
In the past edition, the distinguished was the British Geraint Thomas, the champion of the Tour2018 who won the Portuguese race in 2015 and 2016 and that this year elected the ‘Algarvia’ to his ‘tour of the platoon’ tour.
It starts this Wednesday in Portimão, and ends on Sunday at Malhão, with the chronoescalada to the highest point of Loulé to decide the successor of Belgian Remco Evenepoel, absent in this edition.
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